16/06/2026
The myth of "multi-purpose" compost needs questioning.
Think about it: we walk into a garden centre, grab a bag of generic compost, and expect it to work equally well for brassicas, tomatoes, herbs, fruit trees, and shrubs.
But nature doesn't work like that.
Soil isn't just dirt. It's a living ecosystem. And one of the most important differences between soils is the balance between fungi and bacteria.
In general:
🍄 More bacterial soils tend to favour early-successional plants and many annual crops.
🌳 More fungal soils tend to support perennials, shrubs, and trees.
Nature shifts this balance over time as ecosystems mature.
So when we treat every plant as though it wants exactly the same growing medium, we may be ignoring one of the most important parts of plant health: the biology beneath our feet.
The biology that suits a cabbage isn't necessarily the biology that best supports an apple tree.
Maybe it's time to stop asking "What's the best compost?" and start asking "Best for what?"
🍄🟫 Team fungi or 🦠 team bacteria?
